Under the yellow brick arches of Deptford Market Yard lies Sharkbait & Swim, a restaurant by chef Steve McClarty. This relatively new restaurant opened after the pandemic significantly impacted everyone’s lives, but its roots are not so recent. McClarty had been dreaming of opening his own restaurant since his turbulent home life at 17 left him homeless and living in hostels. The dream developed because he started to cook for friends and fellow residents, leading him to develop a passion for food. After a successful career working in restaurants, taking part in BBC2’s The Chef’s Brigade, and working as an events chef at Google, he finally realised his dream of opening his very own restaurant.
The idea for the restaurant was born out of a series of happenings during the lockdown period. Newly engaged, and having just bought a boat (originally named Roz and then re-christened Damp Squirrel) McClarty set sail with his fiancé, Maria, around southern England until they settled in Guildford. Here, McClarty made use of the duck-feeding hatch and started selling seafood orzo to passers-by with Maria taking the payments. From this, Sharkbait & Swim was born, with McClarty as the chef and Maria as operations manager.
Now with its home in Deptford, since opening, Sharkbait & Swim has become an extremely popular place for people to visit. The restaurant space is intimate, making it the perfect place for people to socialise. The food itself is fresh – something that McClarty believes is very important. This means that the menu, which is relatively small, is seasonal. Dishes of prawns, oysters and mussels not only taste incredible, but look it too. Sharing platters include smoked haddock, whole crispy sea bream and a grilled and chilled fisherman's basket. Otherwise, there is the vegan option of panko fried cauliflower with tamarind caramel, or a medium rare flank steak, for those who are not a fan of seafood.
It is certain that McClarty’s belief that “food is love” and that the “chef’s personality is on the plate” transpire through the sociable atmosphere of his restaurant and the good tasting food.